College Woods Case Study

2452 Words10 Pages
College Woods 1. The main purpose of this exercise is to see if College Woods Natural Area is experiencing succession, and to observe and document the tree community structure. Other purposes of this exercise are to examine College Woods and measure the densities of different species of trees as well as diameters of stems, and use these measurements to determine if the varying measurements lead to varying information about this tree community. Another purpose is to determine all species present, as well as the abundance of each species. We will also analyze the size structures of the trees to predict future change in College Woods Natural Area. 2.a. The extent of the estimation of absolute density from absolute dominance is variable when looking at figures two and three. Figure two would not be a good example of a good estimator of absolute…show more content…
5. According to the Study Site section of the Forest Community Structure and Succession lab manual, about 100 years ago College Woods was dominated by large, old white pine. The white pine was dominating due to the observation that the area was most likely cleared during the 1600’s making is a perfect area for white pine to dominate, because they prefer abandoned fields, burned over areas or large canopy openings, areas where they can receive direct sunlight. It was also stated that the understory was exclusively of hemlock and a few beech; which are two of the most shade tolerate trees. Refer to figure ten, the white pine (Ps) was dominant 100 years ago rather then the hemlock (Ts) and black birch (Bl) which are dominant now. And the only two species in the understory were exclusively hemlock and beech (Fg), rather then having a more diverse population of species as we have now of beech, red oak (Qr), red maple (Ar), White pine, sugar maple (As), Yellow birch (Ba) and hophornbeam (Ov). The rest of the species were either not present or at very low quantities, such as the white ash (Fa) is now. 6. As discussed
Open Document